, 1887-10-18
EXPERIMENTS IN HypNorIsM.
Strange Doings of the Doctors in Paris.
Startling Mental Phenomena.

Strange Doings of the Doctors in Paris.
Startling Mental Phenomena.
DIR. Luys recently made a communica-
ton to the Academy of Medicine on this
subject which electrified the members
present. 1t was on the action, both at a
distance and by direct contact, of certain
indicated and fermented substances on
hypnotic subjeoS. The latter were all
women who could not possibly have got
their cue beforehand, and were being OBJ
served while DR.. Luys operated by a jury
of scientists above all suspicion of having
lent themselves to any trickery. A tube
in one instance was filed with sulphate
of strychnine by DR.. Luys, and the sub
ject, who was not present, was told to
put it to the left side of the nape of her
neck. Soon after there was a telephone
message from the foreman of the jury to
say that the patient suffered in the left
side from muscular contractions, convuls-
i've starts and a rigid body. When the
drug was placed on the right side of the
nape Gn imagination) the same phenom-
enon took place.
An experiment, or rather experiments,
was made on subjects who were brought
in to h operator. They had no idea
what DR.. Euys was going to use. AL
cohol when put to the nape in a tube
no larger than a homeopathic vial and
Theoretically sealed produced exactly the
same effect as if imbibed at a bar. Alb
sinthe, haschish, opium, morphine, beer,
champagne, tea and coffee were in sue
cession tried with their characteristic eff
fects. But ''the cup which cheers but
not inebriates' was found too exciting
for French neuropaths. Valerian caused
the deepest sadness. The thoughts of the
patient were centered in a grave. She
was impelled irresistibly to stoop down
and scratch the ground, and thought her
self in a cemetery exhuming a deceased
relative whom she loved. Under the il
fusion she fancied herself picking up
bones belonging to this skeleton, which
she handled with tender reverence, and
when there was an imaginary mound of
them she placed, with dep drawn signs
and tears and g~enuflections, a cross above
them. Under the influence of haschish
everything looked rosy and gayety pre-
vailed.
The subject was a young girl, very
fond of the drama. She fancied herself
Oh the stage n playing a part which
suited her to perfection. 1t was in a
bouffe opera and she sang her score adj
mirably. The sentiments were expressed
with delicate feeling. DIR. Luys can, 40
cording to the substances he uses, run
through the whole gamut Of human pas
sions and emotions.
What is most strange is that no trace
of the fictitious world in which the
h~ypnotized subject has been wandering
remains when real consciousness is re-
stored. 1t is very rare for even the idea
of having been in dreamland to survive
the awakening from the by pnotic trance.
DIR. Luys says that hypnotic suggestion
sometimes has periods of incubation more
or less long. The subject is at first gently
drawn to do a certain thing or things,
and then the drawing becomes an irresis-
tible impulse. They are first as if tempted
and then as if possessed. They can nc
more help themselves than a man who
had got to the verge of Niagara Falls in a
boat could help going over.
DR.. Roger moved that the academy
name a commission to inquire into hyp-
motto suggestion, neal and at a distance.
DIR. Bronardel supported him. He said:
''An that DIR. Luys has alleged and shown
cannot fail to make a noise throughout
the world. Nobody but MN. Burot and
Bouron have gone 30 far as DIR. Luys.
He not only forces on the attention of the
academy the question of hypnotism, but
of persons being affected by poisonous
substances which do not penetrate, or it
may be even touch their bodies. This is
from a legal point of view a great danger.
A great social responsibility is involved
in the matter. 1t is the duty of the academy
to nave the experiments of DR.. Luys re-
peated, with others that bear upon Them
Paris Cor. New York Tribune.